After more than 20 years of research and hard work, Linthicum's long journey toward historic recognition ended May 2 with pomp and circumstance. More than a dozen federal and state officials were on hand to celebrate the official designation of Linthicum Heights on the National Register of Historic Places, including Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, and U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes.
The application to the NRHP explained:
The Linthicum Heights Historic District is a suburban community, platted beginning in 1908 and includes 17 tree-shaded streets created as a planned suburb on the rail lines connecting Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington. The district is almost entirely residential, consisting of 254 contributing resources, although two churches, a cemetery, and a former commercial/residential building are within the district boundaries. The dwellings range in date from the late 19th century through the present, with the majority dating to 1939 and reflect a variety of building forms and stylistic influences of the period, including houses derived from vernacular gable-front and popular early-20th century forms and styles including the Bungalow, American Foursquare, Colonial Revival, Dutch Revival, and Tudor Revival. Most of the early houses in the district exhibit the influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement in their picturesque siting and stylistic characteristics.
The May 2 ceremony took place on a beautiful, early summer day. The Swanee River Ragtime Band provided the musical entertainment, and roughly 150 people turned out for the festivities. Also participating in the ceremony was State Sen. James E. DeGrange and District 32 delegates Mary Ann Love, Ted Sophocleus and Pam Beidle. Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari helped recognize Linthicum's new designation, and he was joined by Denise Nooe, director of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s Annapolis Office. Peter Kurtze, of the Maryland Historical Trust, helped with the unveiling of the new Linthicum Heights marker on the corner of Camp Meade and Maple Roads.
The historical marker, which was unveiled by Kurtze, Lt. Gov. Brown, Senator Cardin and Representative Sarbanes, reads:
LINTHICUM HEIGHTS
Growth of railways advanced the development of suburban communities in the early 20th Century. Linthicum Heights was platted in 1908 along two interurban railroads by the Linthicum family to take advantage of direct transportation to Washington, Annapolis and Baltimore. Houses designed in picturesque styles located in a naturalistic setting are hallmarks of suburbs of the period.
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland State Highway Administration
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| The Swanee River Ragtime Band kept the 150 attendees entertained. |
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| More than 150 attendees visited the historic Linthicum Heights Train Station May 2. |
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| Dignitaries attending the Historic District designation celebration included (from left to right) Raymond Pippin, Ben Cardin's Aide, Del. Pam Beidle, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, County Executive John Leopold, U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, State Sen. James E. DeGrange, Del. Mary Ann Love, Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari, Denise Nooe (representing U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Del. Ted Sophocleus, Mike Phennicie of BWI Airport, and Peter Kurtze, of the Maryland Historical Trust. |
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| Peter Kurtze, of the Maryland Historical Trust, offer congratulations to the Linthicum community for its placement on the National Register of Historical Places. Kurtze said that Linthicum was one of only a few Maryland communities with multiple historic road markers (the new one on the corner of Camp Meade and Maple Roads, and another on Camp Meade Road near Twin Oaks Road). |
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| County Executive John Leopold (left) and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown wait to speak during the ceremony. |
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| The elected officials were out to help celebrate, including U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (far left); State Sen. James E. DeGrange; Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown; Denise Nooe, of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski's Office; Del. Pam Beidle; Del. Mary Ann Love; and Del. Ted Sophocleus. |
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| U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes spoke of the historic significance of the Linthicum community and remembered former U.S. Congressman J. Charles Linthicum, whose family founded the community. |
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| Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown spoke at length of Linthicum's heritage and helped unveil the community's new historic marker on the corner of Camp Meade and Maple Roads. |
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| PEACE AT LAST: Beth Nowell rests her eyes during the ceremony and she earned that short respite. Nowell spent the last 20 years working toward the historic district designation and organized all the details for the ceremony celebrating it. The delivery of the designation was a major achievement in Maryland and the Linthicum Heights Historic District stands as the only community with such a designation in northern Anne Arundel County. |
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| State Sen. James E. "Ed" DeGrange speaks during the ceremony. He also presented a citation from the Maryland General Assembly recognizing the historic significance of the honor. |
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| Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari acknowledges the historic designation and speaks about the community's ties to the railroad and BWI Airport. |
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| UNOFFICIAL FLAG BEARER: Shortly before the ceremony started the wind began wreaking hovac on Centennial signs and banners. The wind was equally unfriendly to the flags on the speaker's stage. Behind the bush a little girl holds the American flag up while the speakers gave their presentations. She later posed for a photo with Lt. Governor Brown. |
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| U.S. Senator Ben Cardin spoke about Linthicum's historic past and its founding that was built around the railroads. |
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| At the end of his speech Senator Cardin presented Beth Nowell with a special binder containing a reproduction of the National Register announcement that was printed in the April 28, 2008 Congressional Record. |
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| State Dels. Mary Ann Love, Pam Beidle and Ted Sophocleus presented a citation from the District 32 Delegation to the Linthicum community recognizing the honor. Delegate Love, who stood in for District 1 County Councilman Daryl Jones, also presented a citation from the Anne Arundel County Council honoring the designation. |
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| BWI Airport's Director of Business Relations, Mike Phennicie, recognized Linthicum's transportation-driven history and presented a certificate of achievement to the Linthicum community. |
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| Raymond Pippin, vice president of the Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad, stood in for his father, Ken Pippin, the owner of the historic Linthicum Heights Train Station. Pippin hailed the designation and offered memories of growing up in Linthicum and coming from a railroad family. |
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| Lt. Governor Anthony Brown speaks with children just after the unveiling of the new Linthicum historic road marker. |
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| Centennial committee members Sherry Brown and Brenda Schwaab slice and serve cake after the ceremony. |
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| A PART OF HISTORY: While the historic district ceremony celebrated the history of Linthicum and its connection with the railroads, the ceremony also had attendees who helped make the history. Don Wiseman (left), was a locomotive engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio and the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Railroads. Kenneth Pippin, Sr. (right) was a conductor on the WB&A, and is father of the railroad's owner, Ken Pippin Jr. |
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